Find Your Purpose

[pegasus7777777]

1. In what area is critique to be sought?
Composition, using signs and people on the street coupled with some patience, some creativity and some lucky timing.

2. What one hopes to achieve with the piece of work?
A man leaning by a post thinking and the sign screaming his thoughts out loud.

3. Under what circumstance is the picture taken? (physical conditions/emotions)
Street Photography, minimal processing done (sharpening and sepia), no cropping done.
Shot originally with B&W settings.

4. What the critique seeker personally thinks of the picture
I saw this really interesting poster with a headline grabber and wondered...."How can I make use of this picture?".
Camped there for about 5 mins while waiting for my bus. Pretty soon a guy walked by and leaned against the pole for a few seconds.
Luck!
I grabbed the shot.

As usual, CnC welcomed.

Oh I know someone will be commenting about those pairs of feet... wish I could erase them though, but then again, they might serve some purpose to the signboard.

[nysheng]

u can solve the problem of the feet by having a tighter crop of the picture.
there's a reflection of a light on the word 'purpose' try using a polarising filter nxt time..

it doesn't really have an impact for me..

and is it mi or is ur subject not looking at the poster and even having on a pair of earphones?

[night86mare]

yes, the feet are distracting.

but never mind about that, the problem here is that you are thinking too much about your photo. you think that the guy seems to be thinking the exact words on the poster, or at least something to that effect. to me, it isn't the case, it's just a shot of a guy stanidng next to a poster.

a common trap here in clubsnap is to attribute way too much credit/purpose/meaning to a simple picture. but what you think has to be conveyed to viewers, don't you think? if the viewer does not see what you see, then you are really thinking too much. you need to place yourself in the shoes of someone who is just seeing the photo without your explanation. do you think it conveys what you intend it to convey?

[pegasus7777777]

Originally Posted by night86mare yes, the feet are distracting. a common trap here in clubsnap is to attribute way too much credit/purpose/meaning to a simple picture. but what you think has to be conveyed to viewers, don't you think? if the viewer does not see what you see, then you are really thinking too much. you need to place yourself in the shoes of someone who is just seeing the photo without your explanation. do you think it conveys what you intend it to convey?

As i said, I took this shot with the purpose in mind, and its not a random "Oh i shot a poster.... darn guy blocking it, nevermind i'll make an excuse and include him in the pic" shot.

I did TRY to place myself in the shoes of "someone" u mention, but maybe the meaning wasn't strong enough / it just wasn't working for people, or it might be a weak composition?

Hmmm I also wonder other than about the writeup, are there comments on composition, presentation, arrangement of elements? Or any other helpful suggestions?
Seems to me most of the pointers are aiming at the writeup than the actual composition of the picture itself.....

Sorry for being forward, I'm just eager to learn more aspects of photography, and am rather bad at writeups.

Thanks for suggestions though. There's really alot more to learn.

[nysheng]

the best way to convey ur idea is to get a big enough poster..(abt couple meters in length) and get someone to stand in front of it looking at it. that way it's obvious that ur subject is looking at the poster.
if i remember correctly, JC decaux has an ad that appears in the cinemas before u watch a show that has such an idea.. it's the singapore version shot by glen goei. where a kid/person is seen looking through the mrt safety doors in an underground station at the large ads behind the track.

[Rendell]

My Interpretation

Composition

1. I like the idea and the thoughts you try to place in your image. It is a good start to have this kind of feeling place into photography ... finding your purpose in life.

2. You could have avoided the issues that others have point out, by moving yourself to the left so that his head is position within the poster (right underneath the slogan). Even if his eyes is not looking at the poster, he seems to be thinking about it.

3. To salvage this picture, try removing the lights or dimming the background lights (top left), so that viewer will not see what is behind, but rather focus on the poster and the man (or the 2 feet )

[leews2001]

Originally Posted by night86mare a common trap here in clubsnap is to attribute way too much credit/purpose/meaning to a simple picture.

should make this sticky

[pegasus7777777]

Originally Posted by Rendell My Interpretation Composition 1. I like the idea and the thoughts you try to place in your image. It is a good start to have this kind of feeling place into photography ... finding your purpose in life. 2. You could have avoided the issues that others have point out, by moving yourself to the left so that his head is position within the poster (right underneath the slogan). Even if his eyes is not looking at the poster, he seems to be thinking about it. 3. To salvage this picture, try removing the lights or dimming the background lights (top left), so that viewer will not see what is behind, but rather focus on the poster and the man (or the 2 feet )

Hmm ya i guess I should find a better composition next time. Maybe this is a little too vague.
Thanks for all the pointers. Still finding my purpose in photography. :P

Its kind of hard but i shall continue to find a better composition.. Alot of people taking photography for only pretty pictures... sometimes no meaning.... thats what i notice.

Anyway thanks all.

[Rendell]

Originally Posted by pegasus7777777 Its kind of hard but i shall continue to find a better composition.. Alot of people taking photography for only pretty pictures... sometimes no meaning.... thats what i notice.

Pretty is meaningful to these people, that's all.

[weimng]

Didn't achieve the purpose of the topic.
But the pic worked for me somehow
I liked it.

Originally Posted by pegasus7777777 1. In what area is critique to be sought? Composition, using signs and people on the street coupled with some patience, some creativity and some lucky timing. 2. What one hopes to achieve with the piece of work? A man leaning by a post thinking and the sign screaming his thoughts out loud. 3. Under what circumstance is the picture taken? (physical conditions/emotions) Street Photography, minimal processing done (sharpening and sepia), no cropping done. Shot originally with B&W settings. 4. What the critique seeker personally thinks of the picture I saw this really interesting poster with a headline grabber and wondered...."How can I make use of this picture?". Camped there for about 5 mins while waiting for my bus. Pretty soon a guy walked by and leaned against the pole for a few seconds. Luck! I grabbed the shot. As usual, CnC welcomed. Oh I know someone will be commenting about those pairs of feet... wish I could erase them though, but then again, they might serve some purpose to the signboard.

[night86mare]

Originally Posted by pegasus7777777 Alot of people taking photography for only pretty pictures... sometimes no meaning.... thats what i notice.

well, at least there is beauty, something to appreciate.

if there is no beauty, no meaning in a photo, and one seeks to squeeze water out of a dry rock.. that, to me, is even worse.

[soonkueh]

great idea! but like many others, i can't pinpoint the "story" you're trying to tell here. seems to me the person isn't really looking at the poster.

i've seen the poster before and i think you prob could take it in full color, might work better if the person in question here is wearing a black shirt.